Strength in German Economy Drives Online Shopping

We caught up with Projjol Banerjea, the vice president of marketing and business development from value-exchange advertising platform; SponsorPay, to discuss performance marketing, the benefits of being Berlin-based, and next week's a4uexpo.

Q: How do you perceive e-commerce in Germany compared to other Western Countries?

PB: E-commerce in Germany is already well established and even considered an ‘everyday business’ for German consumers. With one in four online buyers in Western Europe being German, it's predicted to grow by 21% in 2013 according to eMarketer and the German E-commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association. Obviously, the strength of the German economy, especially over the past few years, plays a strong factor in driving this online shopping activity.

Q: Is performance marketing more evolved in Germany than in some of your neighbouring countries?

PB: The online performance marketing business (affiliate, SEO, SEM, display etc) works the same way in Germany as in other European countries – with strong regional and local connections. However, each country has its local specificities in the way of government regulations and payment methods, among other aspects - which makes them different. In Germany, for example, cancellation rights have a different impact than in other countries. That is why we have local teams managing each market to tackle such nuances.

Q: What is the best thing about being headquartered in Germany?

PB: Being headquartered in Germany, especially in Berlin, has several advantages: Berlin has become a rather global city attracting lots of international talent, and the German economy’s momentum also creates a variety of interesting business opportunities.

Q: What are the reasons behind your attendance at a4uexpo Europe next week?

PB: A4uexpo Europe is an essential event for our performance marketing business. It gives us the opportunity to not only meet existing clients but also make new connections from all over Europe. Especially this year, we're excited to host a panel featuring European experts who will discuss how to engage consumers in a multi-platform world.

Q: How are you hoping it will benefit your Dutch business?

PB: We’re always searching for new partners on a local as well as international level. While we’re looking forward to meeting some of our current partners, we’re also always searching for new local contacts to offer localised products to our users.